A Picture's Worth a 1,000 Words... February - February in no particular order

Halloween 2017
Wonder Woman and Aaron Rodgers. 

July 2017
The dog is not supposed to be in her bed. But I absolutely could not shoo him out. These 3. 

April 2017
Judah is always ready to strike a pose. But if you're that adorable...

April 2017: Driveway shenanigans

Disney World, February 2017
Highlights: ice cream, dancing in the streets, meeting Olaf
Bummer: getting influenza & sleeping through the last 2 days

Judah's 8th birthday was on a Sunday. Best. Day. Ever. Yup. That's us at church. 

Again. Birthday on a Sunday + church babies = Best. Day. Ever.

June 2017: YFC Over the Edge
I was so proud of Judah for tackling this wall!

July 2017: This is what happens when your parents work a fireworks tent.
Notice Judah's head gear. Dad's ear protection is a must when lighting ANY kind of firework.

Summer 2017
Now that his feet can touch the bottom, he's much happier in the pool!

September 2017
Again with the babies. Seriously. He is ALL about the babies!

August 2017
Lots of excitement at school about the solar eclipse!

August 2017
2nd grade open house.
There's nothing more exciting than graduating to your own desk.

August 2017
He LOVES the Omaha Children's Museum and the baby dolls/hospital nursery there!
His favorite OCM date is Grandma💖

August 2017: A Family Fun Night activity from Judah's Bible
Dress up the way people did in Jesus' day. You might even serve a Bible times meal. Read Matt. 10:24-25 & talk about what it was like in Jesus' day, and how we can be like Him today. (NIV Adventure Bible)
Thanks to Judah, we had 100% participation AND a really good time together.

September 2017
Grandma found a guitar for Judah at Good Will. He loves "playing" it and making up lyrics about Jesus.

September 2017
Yes, the baby love is contagious. We love babies so much we plan play dates with them. And don't invite their parents.  

October 2017: PHS Junior Cheer Clinic
Judah was the sole male participant in this clinic put on by our HS cheerleaders. Pictured is Shelby. Judah's favorite cheerleader, affectionately known as "my cheer coach!". The junior cheerleaders got to cheer at that night's football game. He nailed it. 

October 2017: Camping on the coldest weekend of that month.
Naturally.
And it was a blast.

December 2017
Judah got to meet a REAL LIVE AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR!
Judah might have been slightly more excited about meeting her baby.
We will forever be fans of Rose Wetzel.

April 2018
Judah loves "helping" Eli with sound at church.

March 2018
Judah is also SO proud to watch his big brother perform on stage.

February 2018
Ollie is sometimes the best medicine. 

January 2018: Saturday morning reading with Dad. Judah's got a Handyman magazine.
Of course.

July 2017: Family Vacay in Estes
Rocky Mtn. Nat'l Park was a definite highlight for all of us!

August 2017
1st day of school

December 2017
When your big brother Ezra has cool new headphones and you want to be just like him.

August 2017 - April 2018

I’m home with a sick little boy today. And while I don’t want him to be sick, and I certainly don’t like knowing that he could get very sick very quickly, spending a day at home with him is also a small gift. I love the extra snuggles and how amplified his “Mama’s boy” side becomes when he’s sick. And I’m thankful for the opportunity it provides me to slow down. It’s like getting a free day in the week. An extra weekend day. Another day to not run around like a chicken with its head cut off. Not like I ever do that. But, if I did, obviously I would do it with grace and sophistication and a glamorous flair.

I’m getting off track.

Shocker.

I’m thankful for the time I have to sit here and update you all while Judah sleeps the morning away. I have been awful about doing that. Worse than awful. But I’m here now. So here we go…

In the last few months we’ve had a few new things develop for Judah.

The GOOD:

*He hit grade level academically at the end of last semester! I don’t know if or how long that will last, but it’s a huge accomplishment and a testament to his team’s consistency, creativity, and hard work at school.

*His language skills - primarily his ability to communicate clearly as well as advocate for himself - have improved by leaps and bounds! This makes a HUGE difference in the peer department. We believe that this growth has allowed him to feel more like “one of the guys” at school. PLUS the skill of advocating for himself is a MUST for Judah, so I’m thrilled to see that happening more consistently.

*Judah has been relatively healthy these last several months. No hospitalizations. No major illnesses. No surgeries. Thank. You. Jesus.

*2nd grade has been very challenging for Judah. We see the gap widening between him and his peers emotionally, socially, academically. It takes him longer to adjust to increasing demands at school and make necessary transitions. However, he has come so far this year and grown so much! He’s had so much success in 2nd grade - including significant wins in the area of independence - again, thanks to his team! And his, what I like to call “inner circle” of buddies, who help him along and encourage him throughout the day. God hand-picked those boys from the beginning, and each one is a gift I’m tremendously thankful for.

*Regardless of the hard things that are thrown at him, and the day-to-day tasks that are just plain challenging for him, Judah’s enthusiasm, excitement, and love for life continue to thrive and inspire. Not to mention the fact that he is SO. FUNNY! Seriously… Every. Single. Day. He makes up jokes, or spits out lofty definitions of words or grammar rules, or comes up with some obscure fact that leads me to believe he’ll make millions on Jeopardy someday. I’m literally giggling to myself just thinking about it. He’s so funny.

The Not So Good:

*A few months ago Judah underwent a blood pressure study. He wore a cuff for 24 hrs. and I documented when he woke up, what he did throughout the day (read, draw, read, write, read, snuggle with Mom, read, snuggle with Ollie, read, climb on his brothers, play school with his sister, read, read, read. He’s not the most active kid I’ve ever known.), and when he went to bed. The test showed that he does, in fact, have high blood pressure. We’ve been anticipating this for quite awhile due to his kidney disease, but it’s still a bummer when it becomes official. His specialist added a medication and has monitored him closely, and he’s doing well. Thanks to the med, he’s in a “maintain” position again with the disease, and he should be good here for awhile.

*We had a little bit of a scare on the urology side of all of this, but that led to some answers. Long story short - and for the sake of Judah’s dignity - we have discovered that a consequence of the increased fluids needed for the kidney disease is a somewhat unhealthy bladder and the inability to recognize the need for a bathroom break. That, coupled with trauma from catheterizations and invasive tests since birth, have made this an incredibly challenging and baffling issue for a looong time! I think now we’re headed in the right direction. Judah gets to see a couple new specialists (one behavioral) to help him move forward and hopefully see some huge success in this area within the next few months.

*Judah had his annual check at the BoysTown craniofacial clinic last week. Procedures and repairs that have been put off for years because of his age are now being put on the schedule. He’ll begin orthodontic work within the next month or so - a widening of his upper jaw. And he’ll have a minor surgery within the next 2-3 months (hopefully) to elongate his soft palate. The orthodontic work makes me nervous. His dentist has worked patiently with him for years to get him to the point of being able to get through a cleaning and normal check without anxiety or tears. Literally. Years. I fear that one appt. with ortho will change that. He has an extremely difficult time differentiating between doctors. When one does something he doesn’t like, he’s anxious about all of them. I have a couple of strategies in my back pocket, a couple ways I can advocate, but I’m still nervous. Years of practicing trust, and I still battle anxiety. God keeps using that to call me to Himself.

Sometimes God rescues Judah from those things we fear for him. Sometimes He doesn’t. I choose to trust God anyway. What alternative do I have? Only God is sovereign. And only God is enough for Judah. And me.

Thanks for reading and praying! More to come...